<<Print>>

One of the Ghana’s biggest players in the cocoa industry, Almajaro, has been fingered as the brain behind the distribution of certain chemicals for sale to unsuspecting cocoa farms that industry players described as little better than fake drugs!

The three drugs are Cocomate, Rosckstar, and Commander. Very credible information available to us at the Daily Searchlight, as well as documentation, indicate that even though the importers of these drugs got approval from the cocoa research institute after indicating that the drugs were being manufactured and imported from India, what it is currently being distributed on the market were imported form China.

Unfortunately, Ghana’s cocoa farmers, not knowing any better are busily patronizing the Chinese manufactured chemicals, not know that what CRIG actually approved for the Ghanaian market was supposed to be imported from India.

The Chronology of events leading up to this situation makes interesting reading. In 2015 January, Agroecom/Armajaro planned to go into the chemical business, this newspaper has learned.

In that direction, the two companies formed the West Africa Chemical & Commodities Limited (WACC) for this business. It has been suggested that the reason for this is that they did not want the Ecom/Armajaro brand to be tarnished in case of the development of any adverse situation, which is exactly what is developing now.
Our inquiries suggest that eh purpose of the new company was to import quality chemicals from India for cocoa farmers and in that direction, three contracted a company contracted Agventures ltd, a private label agro-chemical manufacturing company based out in India, to bring them samples.

In that direction WACC imported samples of three drugs from Agventures and submitted same to cocoa research institute of Ghana (GRIG) for field trials and approvals through Cocobod as mandated.

The 3 chemicals brands were Cocomate, Rockstar and Commander.

After a one year filed trials, and based on the residue analysis, approvals were given to the above 3 chemicals manufactured by Agentures to be used in cocoa for commercial purpose in Ghana in June 2016.

The pack size of the chemical suggested and approved by CRIG is 30 ml as this helps farmers to sue it fully to avoid the storage of residue. One tank of sprayer will take this 30 ml and covers the desired area to be sprayed.

The EPA also gave approval fort eh same chemicals by Agventures for commercial application and storage in Ghana for various crops.
The Daily Searchlight ahs leant that each of the above chemicals has an approval number and the license that ahs to be renewed yearly.

Our investigations reveal that in May 2016, WACC imported the chemicals from Agventures and sold them to the farmers in small quantities and found both the quality and performance to be very good.

Agroecom also claimed Tax Subsidies on it as an ago chemical from the government of Ghana.

Interestingly, after securing approval and renewal of the licenses for the above 3 chemicals in 2017.

Agroecom/WACC decided to discontinue working with Agventures which was the approved manufacturer but rather brought into the country the same chemical brand manufactured in China for commercial sales without approvals of the same from CRIG and EPA.

We have leant that in April 2017, Agroecom submitted a letter to CRIG fort eh change of the manufacturer and samples of this Chinese chemicals to CRIG for trials were given in June 2017.
Such trials are supposed to last for at least one year! As of the writing of this piece that the one year field trial which is mandatory for any chemical is on-going with the above chemicals from the Chinese origin/manufacturer at CRIG.

In the meanwhile, Agroecom has imported the chemicals form the Chinese manufacture, with the old license numbers and same brand names and has started selling the same in the market to the farmers through their various cocoa buying stations. They have change the pack size to 1 liter as it is cheaper to package than 30 l which was approved and suggested by CRIG. This also helps in increased sales volume which the farmer will be forced to use this chemical preventing them to try other brands and to switch over to other chemicals.

In effect they are now selling chemicals- whose field trials are not over and not approve by CRIG under the old license and brand name.

The Environmental effects of these Chinese made chemicals are yet to be analyzed and certified by EPA. By this, they are cheating the government (cocobod, CRIG and EPA) and also the farmers.
Environmentalists told us that since the effect on the environment is yet to be determined and analyzed by EPA, the health hazards of these Chinese are still a question.

The said that by bringing in unlicensed cheap chemicals into the country and selling it at the current market price, they are increasing their profit margin and looting the farmers and hampering the eco-system.

Efforts to speak to a Mr. Victus Dzah, a representative of WACC yesterday failed because his phone was switched off.